Sunday, March 16, 2014

Below Par Donegal Defeated by Down

While last week’s patchy
performance against Meath was generally viewed as a welcome eye-opener for
Donegal, today’s against Down suggests that Jim McGuinness’ men have some
serious work ahead of them if they’re to slay the Oak Leaf County on May 25th.
The anticipated response following the game in Ballybofey on Sunday last did
not materialise in Pairc Esler and instead the county’s followers are left with more questions
than answers.

In some ways it is tricky to
judge today’s game by comparing the teams as in truth neither side looked in
any way impressive in what was a scrappy, error-strewn affair. The blustery
conditions led to both teams over and under hitting passes and you wouldn’t have
guessed that these sides contested the provincial championship showpiece less
than two years ago. Down looked dangerous early on and scythed through Donegal’s
unusually porous central channel for some easy scores. They had a few half-goal
chances in the opening exchanges and when Niall Madine finally did register a
major, it would prove to be the game’s crucial score as they never relinquished
the lead it gave them.

The main problem again today was
the kick-out and it really is becoming a serious worry as we look ahead to
Championship 2014. Again Donegal tried to create a large gap for their
midfielders with even more emphasis being put on the defenders in creating that
space. Corner backs Karl Lacey and Eamonn McGee were instructed to stay tight
to the touchline on Paul Durcan’s kickouts – this either meant they were an
option for short kick-outs on any occasion they weren’t picked up by their
marker or it left the centre of the field largely free for Martin McElhinney
and Rory Kavanagh. The problem is that Donegal without Neil Gallagher are severely
depleted under their own restarts - and teams know this. Therefore opponents
are happy to close off those potential short kick-outs and force Durcan to kick
long. We saw it in the first half in particular today and of course we saw it
to devastating effect in last year’s Mayo massacre when a far from fit
Gallagher was dominated by an inspired Aidan O’Shea.

With Down on top in the middle
and gaining primary ball, they ran at Donegal with Mark Poland especially causing
numerous problems. Poland is one of the classiest footballers in the country
and he is very difficult to tackle such is his small stature and low centre of
gravity. Leo McLoone at centre back tried to get forward as much as possible in
an attempt to drag the Longstone clubman away from his centre-forward station and
to limit his effect on the game; it was to no avail however and instead it led
to space for Poland and his team mates to exploit and this they did. Frank McGlynn took
over marking duties for parts of the second half and did have a bit more
success but the conundrum remained largely unsolved.

Kevin McKernan and Peter Turley
were excellent at midfield, providing power and physicality while the hosts’ defence
did well on sharpshooters Michael Murphy and Colm McFadden. In contrast to
Donegal’s tactic of a roaming centre back, Down’s Aidan Carr held his position and
acted as a screen in front of his full back line, particularly in the second
half when the wind-assisted Donegal played a more direct game.

Much was made last year of Down
referencing the McGuinness template in the Ulster semi-final between the teams
at Breffni Park and in particular the defensive aspects of it. On today’s showing
it appears that they have now subsumed the entire portfolio with their
much-improved attacking play and ability to commit more numbers to breaks a
measure of their evolution.

In spite of the erratic nature of
today’s display, Donegal could easily have won the game such was the amount of chances wasted both before and after the short whistle – they recorded twelve
wides in all. Corner forward McFadden was guilty of two poor misses from frees
and his style of getting height on the ball is a risky one when the breeze is
as strong as it was today; on both occasions the wind carried the ball to the
right and wide on his own side, the cardinal sin for a free taker.

McLoone had a bit more freedom
after the break and was one of the few Donegal players who could be satisfied
with their performance. He notched one wonderful point when he showed great
intelligence by opting to flick the ball past an on-rushing Mourne defender instead
of trying to gain possession immediately and being swallowed up in the tackle -
he collected the ball on the other side and stroked over.

That had come after a fine score
by Martin McElhinney as Donegal started the second half with much more intent
and purpose in their play. McElhinney was excellent throughout and bar one bad
miss in front of the posts he performed admirably for his side throughout. With
the current problems the team is experiencing around the middle third it would
be no surprise to see Gallagher return alongside the current midfield pairing
as opposed to replacing one of them, with Kavanagh or McElhinney possibly lining
out at wing forward.

The cavalry arrived in the form
of Gallagher, Patrick McBrearty and David Walsh but even they couldn’t change
the direction of the game and McCartan’s charges saw it out with two points to
spare.

It certainly isn’t a time for
panic in the ranks or anything of that nature but there needs to be signs of
improvement in the remaining two league games to show that the solutions to the
problems that have arisen in the past week are working. It may well be three
games with promotion chances and a subsequent divisional final spot still
looking likely; bottom side Louth the next visitors to the North West. It is
ironic though that it was this very same weekend last year, on St Patrick’s
weekend, where the first cracks began to emerge. On the Saturday night in Pairc
Ui Rinn in Cork, Donegal’s second half performance was light years away from the heights they
had reached the previous summer. A week later we saw a similar show in
Castlebar with Mayo deserving winners following another poor exhibition from
the men in green and gold. The next few weeks will go a long way in telling us
what 2014 holds in store.